The Hindu Business Line : Corolla — something limited and special

In a bid to expand the choice on offer for potential Corolla customers and to boost the brand's image among young car buyers, Toyota recently launched a limited edition variant of the premium sedan.

Apart from cosmetic changes and exclusive new design features to the interiors and exteriors of the 2007 special limited edition Corolla, what is expected to distinguish this launch is the company's plan to focus on using new-age marketing devices to sell the limited 300 numbers of the new variant. According to Toyota Kirloskar Motor, the new special limited edition will be targeted at the younger segment of customers, who are climbing the social ladder in life.

Some of the new features in this limited edition variant include front and rear bumper spoilers that enhance the aggressive appearance of the car and give it sportier looks; side skirts, which also add to the Corolla's aesthetic appeal; and the two dynamic colours — New Warm Silver and Champagne Mica Metallic.

The other new features that have been changed or added include a front grille, six-spoke alloy wheels and a Limited Edition logo. For further exclusivity, two-tone fabric seats and a wood finish rare cup holder have been added.

Standard features such as the 1.8-litre VVT-i engine, SRS air bags for driver and passenger, ABS, front fog lamps, keyless entry with alarm, six-CD player with MP3, six speakers, height adjustment of the driver's seat, 60-40 split foldable rear seat, power steering and lumbar support in addition to automatic air conditioner add to the appeal of the car.

Marketing Strategy

To make the special limited edition Corolla truly more unique, Toyota is adopting an innovative marketing strategy for the first time for this variant. It is looking at promoting and marketing the product through the Internet, direct mailers and an SMS campaign to target a focused young audience.

Toyota is also setting up a micro-web site (www.corollalimited.com) to attract the target customers. The company will use extensive advertising over 20 prominent web sites to drve traffic to the micro-site. The company has also set up a back-end operation to ensure that the enquiries coming through the Internet are linked to relevant dealerships to close the sales for this 2007 Special Limited Edition Corolla.

S. Muralidhar